Doug Willey

Doug Willey enters his first season (2026) on the Virginia Tech baseball coaching staff, having been hired into the role of assistant coach, pitching in June 2025. He possesses vast pitching development and technology experience at both the collegiate and professional ranks, having made college stops at Arkansas and Xavier in addition to three seasons coaching within the Chicago Cubs organization.

Upon his arrival in Blacksburg, Willey was commended by Virginia Tech head coach John Szefc for his in-depth approach when it comes to his physical work with pitchers and his integrating of the analytical side of the game.

» Virginia Tech XP:  First season
» Playing XP:  Franklin Pierce (2012-15), Arkansas (2016)
» Alma Mater:  Franklin Pierce '15

Connect with Coach Willey
» X handle:  @Doug_Willey

COACHING TIMELINE
Seasons	Organization / School	Title
2019	Arkansas	Graduate Assistant / Bullpen Coach
2020-22	Chicago Cubs	Minor League Pitching Coach
2023-25	Xavier	Pitching Coach
2026-pres.	Virginia Tech	Assistant Coach, Pitching

Willey contributed to three consecutive 30-win seasons at Xavier from 2023 to 2025, leading the Musketeers’ pitching staff to the 2023 BIG EAST postseason crown and the 2023 NCAA Nashville Regional final. Among its high statistical marks during 2023, Willey’s staff placed among the top two BIG EAST squads and the top 50 NCAA Division I programs in ERA (4.55), hits allowed per nine innings (8.17), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.33), walks allowed per nine innings (3.38) and WHIP (1.28).

Under Willey’s tutelage, Xavier set the program record for single-season strikeouts (491) during the 2023 campaign, witnessing starters Brant Alazaus and Ethan Bosacker each chart 100-strikeout seasons. Through his three years with the Musketeers, Willey mentored six pitchers to All-BIG EAST honors – headlined by Alazaus earning 2023 First Team praise – two pitchers to ABCA All-East Region distinction and two pitchers to MLB Draft selections.

Before making his return to college baseball, Willey served three seasons as a pitching instructor within the Chicago Cubs organization, beginning in November 2019 when he was hired as pitching coach for the Arizona Complex League (ACL) Cubs in Mesa, Arizona.

On an instructional level, Willey oversaw the day-to-day development of many young pitchers within the Cubs system, from Rookie League arms to those who progressed as high as Major League Baseball. Through his deep comprehension of pitching lab technologies, he managed individualized throwing programs and schedules that resulted in yearlong success during the course of the grueling Minor League Baseball season.

Willey earned his collegiate coaching start in 2019 at Arkansas, where he had transferred to as a fifth-year pitcher in 2016.

As a graduate assistant, Willey served as bullpen coach while helping Arkansas pitching coach Matt Hobbs shape the Razorbacks into one of the more formidable mound units in the SEC. During the 2019 season, Arkansas ranked 12th among NCAA Division I programs in WHIP (1.24), 24th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.52) and 43rd in ERA (3.90) while the Razorbacks went 46-20, co-championed the SEC West Division and ultimately advanced as far as the Men’s College World Series.

A right-handed pitcher, Willey’s career as a student-athlete spanned five seasons, beginning with a four-year run at Franklin Pierce University (Rindge, New Hampshire) from 2012 to 2015.

With the Ravens, Willey made 61 career appearances on the mound, toeing a 2.71 ERA while stamping 21 saves between his sophomore and senior seasons. He factored into Franklin Pierce’s run of four consecutive NCAA Division II East Regional appearances, including the Ravens’ 2013 regional championship (fifth place national finish) and their 2015 Northeast-10 postseason title.

Upon transferring to Arkansas for the 2016 season, Willey led the Razorbacks in appearances (26), boasting a 3.49 ERA with three saves and 29 strikeouts spanning 28 and one-third innings pitched. He went on to be selected by the Los Angeles Angels during the 32nd round of the 2016 MLB Draft, pitching professionally that same year with the Orem Owlz.

Between collegiate seasons, Willey won two Cape Cod Baseball League championships during the summers of 2014 and 2015 with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

Willey graduated from Franklin Pierce in 2015 with his bachelor’s degree in biology.

MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS (13)
Year	School	Name	Round	Pick	MLB Club
2019	Arkansas	Isaiah Campbell	CB-B	No. 76	Seattle
2019	Arkansas	Matt Cronin	4th	No. 123	Washington
2019	Arkansas	Jacob Kostyshock	8th	No. 249	Colorado
2019	Arkansas	Cody Scroggins	9th	No. 287	Boston
2021	Arkansas	Kevin Kopps	3rd	No. 99	San Diego
2021	Arkansas	Patrick Wicklander	8th	No. 251	Tampa Bay
2021	Arkansas	Caden Monke	14th	No. 409	Kansas City
2021	Arkansas	Elijah Trest	19th	No. 560	Colorado
2022	Arkansas	Evan Taylor	9th	No. 262	Miami
2022	Arkansas	Connor Noland	9th	No. 263	Chicago (N.L.)
2022	Arkansas	Zebulon Vermillion	10th	No. 299	New York (N.L.)
2023	Xavier	Ethan Bosacker	13th	No. 379	Kansas City
2023	Xavier	Nolan Hughes	16th	No. 470	Washington

NCAA Division I All-Conference Pitchers (7)
» 2019, Arkansas:  Matt Cronin, RP (All-SEC Second Team)
» 2023, Xavier:  Brant Alazaus, SP (All-BIG EAST First Team) ... Ethan Bosacker, SP (All-BIG EAST Second Team) ... Justin Loer, RP (All-BIG EAST Second Team)
» 2025, Xavier:  Ryan Piech, SP (All-BIG EAST Second Team) ... Logan Schmidt, SP (All-BIG EAST Second Team) ... Ben Weber, SP (All-BIG EAST Second Team)

ABCA NCAA Division I All-Region Pitchers (4)
» 2019, Arkansas:  Isaiah Campbell (All-South Region First Team) ... Matt Cronin (All-South Region Second Team)
» 2023, Xavier:  Brant Alazaus (All-East Region First Team) ... Justin Loer (All-East Region Second Team)

NCAA Division I All-American Pitchers (2)
» 2019, Arkansas:  Isaiah Campbell ... Matt Cronin

MLB Pitchers Coached at ACL Cubs (7)
» 2021:  Jason Adam ... Porter Hodge ... Jonathan Holder ... Luke Little
» 2022:  Adbert Alzolay ... Steven Brault ... Jonathan Holder ... Manuel Rodriguez